Spout assembly for liquid container

ABSTRACT

A spout assembly for a liquid container comprises a body  100  coupled with a neck of a container  400  including an opening portion N which is protruded from a top side of the body  100 , a spout  200  movably inserted into the opening portion N for drinking of liquid contained in the container or dispensing the liquid into another container, and a cap  300  coupled around the opening portion N to open and close the spout  200 , wherein the opening portion N of the body  100  has a bendable thin plate portion and the spout  200  has a bendable portion, thereby the opening portion N of the body can be bent in a direction.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a spout assembly for a liquid containerthat is designed to enable easy and convenient drinking of liquidcontained in the container through an associated spout, easily dispensethe liquid into another container, and have a bendable opening portion(being coupled with a cap) which is associated with the spout and can bebent so that the containers to which the spout assemblies are appliedcan be stacked in a multi-layer configuration.

BACKGROUND ART

Korean utility model registration No. 173,350 to the applicant of thisinvention discloses a prior art of the invention.

The prior art discloses a spout assembly for a liquid container. Thespout assembly is designed to have an associated straw so as to enabledrink liquid beverages contained in the container through the straw,while enabling dispensing the liquid beverages contained in thecontainer into another container. However, this utility model does notdisclose a spout assembly of the present invention that has a spoutassociated with the straw can be bent in a direction.

That is, the spout of the prior spout assembly is vertically projectedout of a top surface of the container. This makes it impossible to stackthe liquid container in a multi-layer configuration, thereby causing thedisadvantage of distribution. Therefore, the present invention has beenmade in an effort to solve the problem. It is an objective of thepresent invention to provide a spout assembly that is provided with abendable thin plate so that a spout (being coupled with a cap) can bebent in a direction.

DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION

Therefore, the present invention has been made in an effort to solve theproblem. It is an objective of the present invention to provide a spoutassembly that is provided with a bendable thin plate so that a spout(being coupled with a cap) can be bent in a direction.

To achieve the above objective, the present invention provides a spoutassembly for a liquid container comprising a body that can be coupledwith the liquid container and an opening portion (being coupled with acap) associated with a spout which is provided at a top side of thebody, wherein the opening portion is provided with a bendable thin plateso that the opening portion can be bent in a direction.

The body of the present invention can be bonded with the container, andthe bonding portion of the body can easily transfigure in accordancewith the shape of the container.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

Other objects and aspects of the invention will become apparent from thefollowing description of embodiments with reference to the accompanyingdrawings in which:

FIG. 1a is a sectional view of a spout assembly according to a firstembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 1b is a section view of a main body of a spout assembly accordingto a first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 1c is a sectional view of a spout;

FIG. 1d is a sectional view of a cap;

FIG. 1e is a perspective view of a container where a spout assembly isemployed.

FIG. 1f is a perspective view of a container, in which is cap is opened;

FIG. 1g is a perspective view of a container, showing a dispensingstate;

FIG. 1h is a sectional view of an assembled state of a spout assembly toa neck of a container;

FIG. 1i is a sectional view of a spout assembly, in which a cap is beingopened;

FIG. 1j is a sectional view of a spout assembly, in which a cap isopened;

FIG. 1k is a sectional view of a spout assembly, showing a dispensestate of liquid to another container;

FIG. 1l is a sectional view of a spout assembly assembled on a bottleneck, in which an opening is bent in a direction;

FIG. 1m is a sectional view illustrating an operation of a spoutassembly according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of a main body provided with a knob at anopening identification skirt portion for removing a main body from acontainer by one-touching manner;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of a main body bent in a direction;

FIGS. 4a and 4 b are sectional views of a main body having variousshapes of bendable thin plate portions.

FIGS. 5 to 9 are sectional views showing that the bendable thin plateportion can apply to various kinds of containers.

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a spout according to another embodimentof the invention.

FIGS. 11 and 12 are sectional views of a main body having anotherembodiment of the invention.

FIGS. 13 and 14 are sectional views of a main body according to anotherembodiments of the invention.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

Reference will now be made in detail to the preferred embodiments of thepresent invention.

A spout assembly for a liquid container comprises a body 100 coupledwith a neck of a container 400 including an opening portion N which isprotruded from a top side of the body 100, a spout 200 movably insertedinto said opening portion N for drinking of liquid contained in thecontainer or dispensing the liquid into another container, and a cap 300coupled around the opening portion N to open and close the spout 200.The opening portion N of the body 100 has a bendable thin plate portionand the spout 200 has a bendable portion, whereby the opening portion Nof the body can be bent in a direction.

The body is provided with an upper surface portion 101, a side wallportion 102 and an opening identification skirt 104 having an engagementjaw 105, divided by a separating guide line 103 at the bottom of theside wall portion 102. An inner surface of the side wall portion 102 isprovided with an engagement jaw 107 having an inserting groove 106. Theupper surface portion 101 is provided with the opening portion N havingan spout inserting hole 108 upwardly protruded therefrom. An outerannular portion of the opening portion N is provided with a thread 109and a bottom protruding annular portion 110. A parabola shaped bendablethin plate portion 112 is provided at the opposite portion of aconnecting thin plate 111 in the bottom of the opening portion N and onthe upper portion 101. A space 113 having a guiding portion 114 isprovided at the outside of the bendable thin plate 112.

The spout 200 is provided at its upper end with an annular protrusion201, an annular groove 202 and an annular band 203, and at its bottomend with an annular band 204 and a bendable thin plate 205. The spout200 is further provided with an air inflow groove 206 longitudinallybetween annular bands 203 and 204, at least one side outflow hole 207 ateach side of the air inflow groove 206, and the side outflow hole 207communicated with a liquid passage 208.

The cap 300 comprises the upper surface portion 301, the side wallportion 302, and an opening identification skirt 304 having theengagement jaw 305 divided by the separating guide line 303 at thebottom of the side wall portion 302, the inner wall of the side wallportion being provided with an engaging protrusion 306 having an annularengagement groove 307, the bottom inner wall of the engagementprotrusion 306 being formed with a sealing wall 308 for maintaining thesealing contacting the outer circumference surface of the upper end ofthe opening portion N of the body 100, and downwardly therewith, and athread 309 for engaging the thread 109 of the opening portion N beingprovided.

FIG. 1e shows a spout assembly A assembled to a neck of a container 400.When the cap 300 is rotated in an opening direction, the opening portionN of the spout 200 moves upwardly as shown in FIG. 1f. When pushing thespout 200, the spout 200 moves downwardly and it is easy to dispense theliquid of the container 400 to another container.

FIG. 1h shows the spout assembly A mounted on the neck of the container400. After the spout assembly A of the invention is mounted on the neckof the container, the opening portion N is bent in a direction as shownin FIG. 1l. At this point, the bendable thin plate portion 112 spreadsdownwardly opposite to the connecting thin plate 111. In certaincircumstances, the spout assembly A can be assembled to the neck of thecontainer as the opening portion N is bent in a direction.

In the state of FIG. 1h, when the cap 300 is rotated in an openingdirection, the thread 309 of the cap 300 upwardly moves along the thread109 of the opening portion N and consequently the spout 200 upwardlymoves because the annular protrusion 201 of the spout 200 is rigidlyinserted into the annular engaging protrusion 306 of the cap 300.

Referring to FIG. 1i, when the cap 300 is further rotated in an openingdirection, the annular band 204 of the spout 200 contacts the bottom ofthe opening portion N thereby the spout 200 stops moving. In this state,when the cap 300 is further rotated in the opening direction, theannular protrusion 201 of the spout 200 is flexibly separated from theannular engaging protrusion 306 of the cap 300.

In the state of FIG. 1i, the cap 300 can be easily separated from theopening portion N. The opening identification skirt 304 formed below thecap 300 is removed as the separating guide line is broken. The openingidentification skirt 304 may be separated or not from the side wallportion 302.

Referring to FIG. 1j, the liquid of the container 400 can be suckedthrough the liquid passage 208 of the spout 200. Consequently, as theair inflows into the container 400 through the air inflow groove 206,the container 400 does not shrink and it is easy to dispense the liquidof the container 400. As the spout 200 upwardly moves and the outflowhole 207 of the spout 200 is sealed with the inner wall of the spoutinserting hole 108 of the body 100, the liquid of the container 400 caneasily dispense through the outflow hole 208.

Referring to FIG. 1j, when the spout 200 is pushed, the spout moves tothe initial position and the outflow hole 207 of the spout 200 moves outof the spout inserting hole 108 of the opening portion N of the body 100to communicate with the inner space of the container.

Referring to FIG. 1k, when the container is tilted in a direction, theliquid of the container 400 flows out through the outflow hole 207 whilethe air flows into the container 400 through the air inflow groove 206,whereby the liquid of the container 400 flows out through the outflowhole 207 and outflow hole 208.

FIG. 1l shows the state when the opening portion N is bent in adirection. At this point, the bottom of the spout 200 being bent in adirection from the starting point of the bendable portion 205 of thespout 200.

Referring to FIG. 1m, the length of ‘a’ is proportion to the depth ofthe space 113, the length of ‘b’ is the size of the angle of moving thebendable portion 205 in a state of the spout 200 inserted into the spoutinserting hole 108. As the size of ‘a’ increases, the length of ‘b’increases.

The length ‘L′’ from the end of the bendable thin plate portion 112 tothe connecting thin plate 111 should be longer than the length ‘L’ ofspreading the bendable thin plate portion 112 so that the angle ofbending the opening portion N increases.

Referring to FIG. 1m, the size ‘c′’ of the space 113 increases ordecreases in proportion to the size ‘c’ of bending the opening portionN.

Referring to FIG. 2, the body 100 of the present invention can beseparated from the neck of the container after assembled thereinto. Asan embodiment, the opening identification skirt 104 is provided with aknob 115, both sides of the knob 115 are provided with a separatingguide line 116, and both ends of the separating guide line 116 areconnected with the separating guide line 103. When the user insertsfinger into the hole of the knob 115 and pulls the knob 115, theseparating guide line 116 and separating guide line 103 are separatedfrom the body 100.

Referring to FIG. 3, an engagement protrusion 117 is formed at the topend portion of the inner wall of the space 113 facing the openingportion N of the body. The engagement protrusion 117 has a size that anupper surface portion 301 of the cap 300 can be flexibly engagedtherewith.

Furthermore, as shown in dotted line, a sticker 118 can stick to theupper surface portion 101 for covering the space 113.

Referring to FIGS. 4a to 4 b, as described in FIG. 1m, the size andfigure of the bendable thin plate portion 112 can have various kinds forbending the opening portion N.

FIG. 5 shows another embodiment of assembling the body 100 with the neckof the container, it is provided with a thread 119 in the inner wall ofthe side wall portion 102.

Referring to FIG. 6, the body 100 can be engaged with a punching portionof the container by pressing and is provided with an annular fixingprotrusion 120 having an inserting groove 121 at the outer annularsurface thereof, and a stiffening ring 122 is inserted into the innerwall of the annular fixing protrusion 120.

Referring to FIG. 7, the body 100, having the opening portion at acentral portion, is provided with an outer annular plate 123 at theoutside of the upper surface portion 101 so that the body 100 can adhereto the punching portion of the container.

Referring to FIG. 8, an outer annular plate 124 of the body 100 isinjection-molded by an inserting manner or adheres to an upper end ofthe container.

Referring to FIG. 9, wherein the body 100 is integrally formed with thecontainer 400.

Referring to FIGS. 11 and 12, the opening portion N having the spout 200is designed to easily shrink the container. In FIG. 11, the spout 200for sucking the liquid is assembled around the spout inserting hole 108of the opening portion N. In FIG. 12, the spout 200 is integrally moldedwith the body below the opening portion N, and a separating thin plate125 having a pulling knob 126 is divided by a separating guide line 127for sealing upward the opening portion N.

The spout assembly as shown in FIGS. 11 and 12 is just for sucking theliquid of the container 400.

Referring to FIG. 13, the body is provided with a supplementary openingportion 128 upward the opening portion N, an air inflow hole 129 islongitudinally formed at the bottom of the supplementary opening portion128 and the inner wall of the opening portion N. When the user contactsthe mouse to the supplementary opening portion 128 and sucks the liquid.The air flows into the container through the air inflow hole 129 and theliquid of the container flows out. As the opening portion of theinvention is provided with the air inflow hole 129, it is not need toconsider materials of the container.

Referring to FIG. 14, the opening portion N having the spout is designedto easily shrink the container. The body 100 is provided with a cap 132having a sealing portion 133 divided by a separating guide line 131 atthe upper end of the opening portion N. When the cap 132 is rotated inan opening direction, the separating guide line is broken and the usertilts the container 400 in a direction and sucks the liquid of thecontainer 400.

Furthermore, the body 100 of the present invention can be used withoutassembling the spout 200. The air inflow groove formed in the spout 200can be applied to the inner wall of the spout inserting hole of theopening portion. But in this case, as the lateral outflow hole formed inthe spout 200 must not be positioned in same of the air inflow grooveformed on an inner wall of the spout inserting hole, it is lessefficient than forming the air inflow groove to the spout 200 of thepresent invention.

The cap 300 assembled to the opening portion N can have various kinds ofconfiguration. In another cases, the spout 200 is not moved by the cap300 and the spout 200 can be moved by hand after opening the cap 300.

The present invention has advantage that the spout assembly is designedto enable easy and convenient drinking of liquid contained in thecontainer through an associated spout, easily dispense the liquid intoanother container, and have a bendable opening portion (being coupledwith a cap) which is associated with the spout and can be bent so thatthe containers to which the spout assemblies are applied can be stackedin a multi-layer configuration.

What is claimed is:
 1. A spout assembly for a liquid containercomprising: a body 100 coupled with a neck of a container 400 includingan opening portion N which is protruded from a top side of the body 100;a spout 200 movably inserted into said opening portion N for drinking ofliquid contained in the container or dispensing the liquid into anothercontainer; and a cap 300 coupled around the opening portion N to openand close the spout 200, wherein the opening portion N of the body 100has a bendable thin plate portion and the spout 200 has a bendableportion, thereby the opening portion N of the body can be bent in adirection.
 2. The spout assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the bodyis provided with an upper surface portion 101, a side wall portion 102and an opening identification skirt 104 having an engagement jaw 105,divided by a separating guide line 103 at the bottom of the side wallportion 102, an inner surface of the side wall portion 102 is providedwith an engagement jaw 107 having an inserting groove 106, the uppersurface portion 101 is provided with the opening portion N having aspout inserting hole 108 upwardly protruded therefrom, an outer annularportion of the opening portion N is provided with a thread 109 and abottom protruding annular portion 110, a parabola shaped bendable thinplate portion 112 is provided at the opposite portion of a connectingthin plate 111 in the bottom of the opening portion N and on the upperportion 101, and a space 113 having a guiding portion 114 is provided atthe outside of the bendable thin plate
 112. 3. The spout assembly asclaimed in claim 2, wherein the opening identification skirt 104 isprovided with a knob 115, both sides of the knob 115 are provided with alateral separating guide line 116, and both ends of the lateralseparating guide line 116 are connected with the separating guide line103.
 4. The spout assembly as claimed in claim 2, wherein the innersurface of the side wall portion 102 is provided with at least onethread
 119. 5. The spout assembly as claimed in claim 2, wherein thebody 100 can be engaged with a punching portion of the container bypressing and is provided with an annular fixing protrusion 120 having aninserting groove 121 at the outer annular surface thereof, and astiffening ring 122 is inserted into the inner wall of the annularfixing protrusion
 120. 6. The spout assembly as claimed in claim 2,wherein the body 100, having the opening portion at a central portion,is provided with an outer annular plate 123 at the outside of the uppersurface portion 101 so that the body 100 can adhere to the punchingportion of the container.
 7. The spout assembly as claimed in claim 2,wherein an outer annular plate 124 of the body 100 is injection-moldedby an inserting manner or adheres to an upper end of the container. 8.The spout assembly as claimed in claim 2, wherein the body 100 isintegrally formed with the container
 400. 9. The spout assembly asclaimed in claim 2, wherein the length ‘L’ of spreading bendable thinplate portion 112 formed below the opening portion N equals or is longerthan the length ‘L′’ from the end of the bendable thin plate portion 112to the connecting thin plate
 111. 10. The spout assembly as claimed inclaim 9, wherein the bendable thin plate portion 112 is shaped like anparabola or at least one peak.
 11. The spout assembly as claimed inclaim 2, wherein an engagement protrusion 117 is formed at the top endportion of the inner wall of the space 113 facing the opening portion Nof the body.
 12. The spout assembly as claimed in claim 11, wherein theengagement protrusion 117 has a size that an upper surface portion 301of the cap 300 can be flexibly engaged therewith.
 13. The spout assemblyas claimed in claim 1, wherein the spout 200, at an upper end thereof isprovided with an annular protrusion 201, an annular groove 202 and anannular band 203, at a bottom end thereof is provided with an annularband 204 and a bendable thin plate 205, is provided with an air inflowgroove 206 longitudinally between annular bands 203 and 204, is providedwith at least one side outflow hole 207 at each side of the air inflowgroove 206, and the side outflow hole 207 is communicated with a liquidpassage
 208. 14. The spout assembly as claimed in claim 13, wherein thespout 200 is formed with flexible materials so that the spout 200 isbendable.
 15. The spout assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the cap300 comprises an upper surface portion 301 and a side wall portion 302,and is provided with an opening identification skirt 304 having anengagement jaw 305 divided by a separating guide line 303 at the bottomof the side wall portion 302, the inner wall of the side wall portion isoptionally provided with an engaging protrusion 306 having an annularengagement groove 307, the bottom inner wall of the engagementprotrusion 306 is formed with a sealing wall 308 for maintaining thesearing contacting the outer circumference surface of the upper end ofthe opening portion N of the body 100, and downwardly therewith, athread 309 for engaging the thread 109 of the opening portion N isprovided.
 16. The spout assembly as claimed in claim 15, wherein theengaging protrusion 306 of the cap 300 is engaged with and fixed to theannular protrusion 201 of the spout
 200. 17. The spout assembly asclaimed in claim 16, wherein processes of opening the cap 300 includesthat the engaging protrusion 306 engages with the annular protrusion 201and pulls the spout 200, before the bottom end thread 309 of the cap 300is separated from the upper end of the thread 109 of the opening portionN, the annular band 204 of the spout 200 is engaged with the bottom endof the spout inserting hole of the opening portion N and then theannular protrusion 201 is separated from the annular engaging protrusion306.
 18. The spout assembly as claimed in claim 15, wherein the spout200 can be pushed and pulled by hand when the cap 300 is separated fromthe opening portion N.
 19. A spout assembly for a liquid containercomprising: a body 100 coupled with a neck of a container 400 includingan opening portion N which protrudes from a top side of the body 100;and a cap 300 for closing the opening portion N; a sticker 118 whichsticks to the upper surface portion 101 of the body 100 after theopening portion N is bent in a direction; wherein the opening portion Nof the body has a bendable thin plate portion so that the openingportion N of the body can be bent in a direction.
 20. The spout assemblyas claimed in claim 19, further comprising a spout 200 having a bendableportion 205 which is inserted into a spout inserting hole 108 of theopening portion N of the body.
 21. The spout assembly as claimed inclaim 20, wherein the opening portion N having the spout is designed fora shrinkable container.
 22. The spout assembly as claimed in claim 19,further comprising a spout 200 is integrally formed with the body belowthe opening portion N, a separating thin plate 125 having a pulling knob126 is divided by a separating guide line 127 for sealing upward theopening portion N.
 23. The spout assembly as claimed in claim 19,wherein the body is provided with a supplementary opening portion 128upward the opening portion N, an air inflow hole 129 is longitudinallyformed at the bottom of the supplementary opening portion 128 and theinner wall of the opening portion N.
 24. The spout assembly as claimedin claim 19, wherein cap 132 comprises a sealing portion 133 divided bya separating guide line 131 at the upper end of the opening portion N.25. The spout assembly as claimed in claim 19, wherein spout 200 isdownwardly extended through the opening portion N.